The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures priority provides opportunities for all students to deepen their knowledge of Australia by engaging with the world’s oldest continuous living cultures. Through the Australian Curriculum, students will understand that contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are strong, resilient, rich and diverse.

Home of the Kadamakara People by Percy Trezise

The first book in the Journey of the Great Lake series — beautifully illustrated stories that follows the journey of three children, providing a unique picture of Australia during this ancient time. Read the story of Jadianta, Lande and Jalmor, then follow their path as they travel to find their way home.

ISBN: 9780207198489 | RRP $14.99

Land of the Dingo People by Percy Trezise

Book #2 in the Journey of the Great Lake series — beautifully illustrated stories that follows the journey of three children, providing a unique picture of Australia during this ancient time. Read the story of Jadianta, Lande and Jalmor, then follow their path as they travel to find their way home.

ISBN: 9780207198663 | RRP $14.99

Land of the Magpie Goose People by Percy Trezise

Book #3 in the Journey of the Great Lake series — beautifully illustrated stories that follows the journey of three children, providing a unique picture of Australia during this ancient time. Read the story of Jadianta, Lande and Jalmor, then follow their path as they travel to find their way home.

ISBN: 9780207198748 | RRP $14.99

Land of the Emu People By Percy Trezise

Book #4 in the Journey of the Great Lake series — beautifully illustrated stories that follows the journey of three children, providing a unique picture of Australia during this ancient time. Read the story of Jadianta, Lande and Jalmor, then follow their path as they travel to find their way home.

ISBN: 9780207198823 | RRP $14.99

Land of the Snake People by Percy Trezise

Book #5 in the Journey of the Great Lake series — beautifully illustrated stories that follows the journey of three children, providing a unique picture of Australia during this ancient time. Read the story of Jadianta, Lande and Jalmor, then follow their path as they travel to find their way home.

ISBN: 9780207199066 | RRP $14.99

Land of the Kangaroo People by Percy Trezise

Book #6 in the Journey of the Great Lake series — beautifully illustrated stories that follows the journey of three children, providing a unique picture of Australia during this ancient time. Read the story of Jadianta, Lande and Jalmor, then follow their path as they travel to find their way home.

ISBN: 9780207199929 | RRP $14.99

Land of the Brolga People by Percy Trezise

The final book in the Journey of the Great Lake series — beautifully illustrated stories that follows the journey of three children, providing a unique picture of Australia during this ancient time. Read the story of Jadianta, Lande and Jalmor, then follow their path as they travel to find their way home.

It’s 1789, and as the new colony in Sydney Cove is established, Surgeon John White defies convention and adopts Nanberry, an Aboriginal boy, to raise as his son. Nanberry is clever and uses his unique gifts as an interpreter to bridge the two worlds he lives in. With his white brother, Andrew, he witnesses the struggles of the colonists to keep their precarious grip on a hostile wilderness. And yet he is haunted by the memories of the Cadigal warriors who will one day come to claim him as one of their own

ISBN: 9780732290221 | RRP $16.99 Teaching Notes Available

The Whalers Illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft

‘The killers get real glad whenever they see the dark fellers killin’ a whale.’

This is the story of the orca, the largest of the dolphin family. Known as killer whales, the orcas’ relationship with the Aboriginal whalers of Twofold Bay has become legend.

The Whalers is told in the lyrical voice of Percy Mumbulla and comes directly from an oral storytelling tradition and was collected as part of a group of stories and poems by Roland Robinson. With beautiful illustrations by Bronwyn Bancroft, this book explores the special relationship between orca and whaler.

ISBN: 9780732295318 | RRP: $14.99 Teaching Notes Available

Minah illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft

Whenever I used to see one of those old fellers going off with a spear for murrung — fish — I’d watch him. I’d run after him.I was only a little feller but I had a sense to follow and learn how to do all those things.”

Not everyone has someone to look up to and learn from in their life. But for this little boy, Uncle Abraham is that special person. This is about Minah, Uncle Abraham, shows how the passing down of knowledge can help keep memory alive.

A well-known poem by Percy Mumbulla, Uncle Abraham Whose Blackfeller’s Name Was Minah is a heart-warming family story. Originally told to Roland Robinson, who was a great admirer of Percy’s stories. Powerful and emotional, Bronwyn Bancroft’s insight into Aboriginal family life gives the reader a fresh perspective on this well-known poem.

ISBN: 9780732295325 | RRP: $14.99 Teaching Notes Available

Dirrangun illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft

Dirrangun is well-known near Grafton and along the north coast of New South Wales. Both the Bunjalung and Githavul people speak of her and of her connection with local landmarks. She is a powerful woman Dirrangun contains two stories — one told by Ethan Williams and one by Lucy Daley. It forms part of the oral storytelling tradition and is faithful to each storyteller’s voice. These narratives originally appeared in The Nearest The White Man Gets, a group of stories and poems collected by Roland Robinson.Powerful and emotional, Bronwyn’s artistic insight into the past draws the reader into a better understanding of the Bunjalung and Githavul stories

ISBN: 9780732295332 | RRP: $14.99Teaching Notes Available

Rainbow Serpent by Dick Roughsey

Dreamtime stories tell how the Rainbow Serpent came from beneath the ground and created huge ridges, mountains and gorges as it pushed upward. The name also reflects the snake-like meandering of water across a landscape and the color spectrum sometimes caused by sunlight hitting the water.Paintings of the Rainbow Serpent first appeared in Arnhem Land rock art more than 6000 years ago, and perhaps as early as 8000 years before the present, as the seas rose after the last Ice Age.

Today the Rainbow Serpent is associated with ceremonies about fertility and abundance, as well as the organisation of the community and the keeping of peace.

ISBN: 9780207174339 | RRP: $14.99 Teaching Notes Available

Stories from Country by Bob Randall and Susan Haworth

In this wonderful collection of stories, Bob tells of many adventures – from crocodile hunting to mustering cattle on his pony Hooky. Other stories, including theresa’s story, Minjilung, are based on the history and culture of his people in the Red Centre and the far north of Australia.

ISBN: 9780733320477 | RRP $14.99

Nyuntu Ninti: What you should know

This beautiful photographic book for young children, Bob Randall explains, in a simple but effective way, the Anangu people’s relationship to all that is around them, and why we must learn to care for the earth, its plants and its creatures.Based on the award-winning documentary KANYINI, NYUNTU NINTI, meaning ′what you should know, teaches us about the people who are at the heart of our country

In the gorge Martin meets Meg from almost a century ago and Wullamudulla from thousands of years in the past. Despite their differences they discover that they′re all on the same journey … and that walking the boundaries means more than following lines on a map

ISBN: 9780207200434 | RRP $14.95

The Fat and Juicy Place by Diana Kidd

At the back of Jack’s school there’s a special place. Not even his Mum or Gran or Splinter or Fleabag or his little sister, Pest Susie, know about all the things that happen there. His Mate, Lizard, is the only he can tell. When Jack meets the mysterious Birdman, he finds out secrets about the past. There’s one secret that he can’t tell anyone – not even Lizard. What happened at the Fat and Juicy Place? Why does Jack need to go there? Only that old fella Birdman has the answers..

Bursting with energy and madcap fun,Yirra and Her Deadly Dog, Demon gives young readers a contemporary view of urban Indigenous life in Sydney.

ISBN: 9780733320392 RRP $14.95

Stradbroke Dreamtime by Oodgeroo Nunukul & B Bancroft

Stradbroke Dreamtime is a collection of 27 short stories, ideal for reading in class, from acclaimed Aboriginal author Oodgeroo. the stories are traditional Aboriginal tales from Stradbroke Island, the tambourine Mountains and from the Old and New dreamtime. A bright, beautiful and unique colour illustrated book, paired with Dreamtime tales just for younger readers.

ISBN: 9780207198656 | RRP $29.95

Birrung the Secret Friend by Jackie French

The first book in The Secret Histories series tells the story of a young indigenous girl Birrung who befriends orphaned Barney and his friend Elsie. Birrung is living with Mr Johnson, chaplain to the Australian colony in 1790, and his family. Generous in spirit, the Johnson family also take in Barney and Elsie who have only just been surviving on their meagre daily rations. Despite living with the Johnsons, Birrung’s connection to her people remains strong, and when Mr and Mrs Johnson see how Barney’s feeling for Birrung are growing, they gently explain that his friendship with a ‘native’ girl and all that she taught him about her language and lore must remain a secret – forever.

ISBN: 9780732299439 | RRP $12.99

Barney and the Secret of the Whales by Jackie French

Barney Bean is keen to make his fortune and he hears a secret; a sailor’s secret about the treasure of the colony. But how can chasing whales make you rich? Is adventure at sea worth leaving everything he loves?

Written by award-winning author Jackie French and superbly illustrated by Mark Wilson, this second book in The Secret Histories series explores how the early colony survived with the wealth from whaling, a little-known secret from Australia’s past.

ISBN: 9780732299446| RRP $12.99

Dingo: The Dog Who Conquered a Continent by Jackie French

All of Australia’s dingoes may be descended from one south-east Asian ‘rubbish dog’ who arrived here over 5,000 years ago. this is a story about the first dingo. It is also the story of Loa, who heads off across the sea in his canoe when the girl he loves marries another.

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